Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has been charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The 80-year-old is accused of being criminally responsible for dozens of murders that allegedly took place as part of his so-called war on drugs, during which thousands of small-time drug dealers, users, and others were killed without trial.
The ICC's charge sheet, which includes several redactions, dates from July but was only made public on Monday.
ICC deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang stated that Duterte was an 'indirect co-perpetrator' in the killings, which the court alleges were carried out by others, including police.
The initial count against Mr. Duterte involves his alleged role in the killings of 19 people in Davao City between 2013 and 2016, during his time as mayor. The subsequent charges reference actions taken while he was president from 2016 to 2022, particularly related to a bloody crackdown on drug-related crime.
Prosecutors noted that Duterte and his alleged co-perpetrators shared a common plan to eliminate perceived criminals, employing violent methods including murder. He has not expressed remorse for the anti-druggery campaign, which human rights advocates estimate may have resulted in far more than the reported 6,000 fatalities.
Rodrigo Duterte is significant in that he is the first Asian former head of state to be indicted by the ICC. He is currently in custody at The Hague, where he has been held since March.
His legal representatives contend that Duterte is unfit for trial due to health concerns. In an unusual political twist, despite his incarceration, he won another term as mayor of Davao, with his son Sebastian serving as acting mayor during his absence.
Supporters of Duterte have asserted that the ICC's actions are politically motivated, alleging that current president Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. is leveraging the situation against the influential Duterte family.
